By Kyle Vuille
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
In light of last Sunday’s tragedy in Las Vegas, the students at Dawson Community College held a candlelight vigil Wednesday night at the school dorms.
The vigil was organized by DCC’s Associated Student Body.
There are several students at DCC who are from the Las Vegas area and some even affected directly by the tragedy, making it hit a little too close to home for students.
Ejanae Coopwood, a freshman basketball player at DCC, is from Las Vegas and was absolutely devastated by the news.
“I didn’t even know what happened at first, but a friend called me while I was in class and I got scared for my family,” Coopwood said.
She said she immediately called her mother and also worried for her grandmother, who works on the Vegas strip.
“I called her the next morning and she wasn’t picking up and I got scared,” Coopwood said. “I found out she didn’t work that night.”
Another DCC student from Las Vegas reached out to her Adopt-A-Buc family for support in this time of need.
Being so far from home when tragedy strikes can be trying for college students, which was the main reason behind organizing the vigil.
For Wednesday’s vigil, students met in front of the Kettner Hall common room.
During the event, ASB President Maxwell Knodel gave a speech about how important it was to take a moment to remember 58 citizens, ranging in age from 20 to 67, who lost their lives in the Las Vegas shooting. The students lit candles and walked to the east end of Kettner Hall. They then took two minutes to show their respect in a moment of silence.
“The reason we have decided to hold this small vigil is due to the fact that it affects some of our students on a personal level and we felt it only necessary to express our solidarity with the families and the victims,” Knodel said.
After the moment of silence, Knodel thanked the group of students and DCC staff them for coming to the event on such a short notice. Knodel told his fellow peers their solidarity and prayers, even though small and thousands of miles away from Las Vegas, would not be in vain.
Reach Kyle Vuille at
news@rangerreview.com.